When Colonel L. Bryan Shelburne, Jr. assumed command of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” in 1990, he became only the sixth appointee to serve as leader and commander since the band’s formation in 1922.Col. Shelburne holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Hardin-Simmons University and a Master of Music Degree from Arizona State University. His professional playing includes six seasons as trombonist with the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra and work with the Phoenix Symphony.Col. Shelburne’s previous assignments have included executive officer and associate director of the Armed Forces Bicentennial Band, commander of the Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe Band and he twice served as commandant of the Army Element, Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia. Most recently, Col. Shelburne commanded the United States Military Academy Band at West Point.Col. Shelburne officially retired at a ceremony held in his honor at Comny Hall (Ft. Myer) on Monday, April 3, 2000. At that time he was presented with the Distinguished Service Metal as a final honor for his outstanding military career. Later that night at The U.S. Army Band’s 78th Anniversary Concert, he ceremoniously passed the baton to Col. Gary F. Lamb, the seventh Leader and Commander.

Colonel Shelburne served the final ten years of a 30 year career as only the sixth “Leader and Commander” of The United States Army Band, "Pershing's Own," in Washington, D. C. His conducting experience includes brass groups at Arizona State University as a Teaching Fellow; high school and elementary school bands in Houston, Texas; church choirs in three states, and professional military wind and vocal groups in Europe as well as within these United States. He previously served as the leader of The United States Military Academy Band, the historic professional band at West Point, New York, founded around 1812. His performance experience includes six seasons as bass trombone and principal trombone with the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra (Texas), and two seasons of playing auxiliary brass parts with the Phoenix Symphony while completing the Master of Music degree at Arizona State University. He organized and ran The Valley Brass Quintet, drawn from the Phoenix Symphony musicians, during the 1966-1967 academic year in the Phoenix valley, performing throughout Arizona as part of a federally funded program to bring arts to the schools.

Bryan holds degrees from Arizona State University (Master of Music), and Hardin-Simmons University (Bachelor of Music), and holds the Texas "all-levels" teaching certificate. He taught both beginner (fifth grade) instrumental music and high school bands in Houston, Texas. He has studied choral composition and arranging with Alice Parker, famed musical collaborator with Robert Shaw, and instrumental composition with the late Ron LoPresti, Dr. Grant Fletcher, and, briefly, with Dr. Andy Patterson. He has studied choral conducting at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and wind band history and literature with Dr. Robert Garofalo of Catholic University of America in Washington, D. C. Col. Shelburne was selected in 1989 for membership in the American Bandmasters Association and served for ten years on the Board of Directors for the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He is a member of the National Band Association, the Music Educators National Conference, and is a lifetime member of the College Band Directors National Association. Upon his retirement he was honored by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia with a lifetime achievement award, and by the band fraternities, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau beta Sigma, with honorary lifetime memberships.

In 1999 he was inducted into Phi Beta Mu, the honorary school band fraternity, as an honorary lifetime member. In 1999 he was also given an honorary lifetime membership in the Texas Bandmasters Association, and was only the fifth person to be so named at that time. In 1990 Bryan Shelburne was named by his alma mater, Hardin-Simmons University, as one of three Centennial Year Distinguished Graduates of the University. In 1993 H-SU appointed him Distinguished Visiting Lecturer. In addition to the U. S. Army Band and The United States Military Academy Band at West Point, he has led and conducted the United States Army, Europe Band and Chorus in Heidelberg, Germany. He was chosen in 1976 to be the Associate Director and Deputy Commander for the United States Armed Forces Bicentennial Band and Chorus which was organized to help the nation celebrate its 200th birth year.

Bryan Shelburne is married to the former Sareta Ann Kiser from Pecos, Texas. Sareta recently retired, concluding her education career as the administrator (Principal) of the Southport Presbyterian Christian School in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Shelburnes have two children: a son in New Jersey, Darren, who, together with wife, Robin, has three daughters (Elly, Maddie, and Cierra), and a married daughter, Kerri Thompson. Kerri and her husband, Doug, have two sons (Ethan and Evan) and live in Macon, Georgia.